Australia: Juventus hopes to give losing streak the boot in Kempsey Cup

This season has not gone well for Juventus. The soccer team of that name is in seventh place in the 20-team Italian Serie A league, and the Australia-bred gelding Juventus is winless in 10 starts since December.

Juventus, the racehorse, has a chance to end that losing streak in the Kempsey Cup at 7 1/4 furlongs at Kempsey Racecourse in Australia on Thursday.

Trained by Kris Lees, Juventus was third in a field of four in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Hawkesbury Racecourse on Oct. 25, closing from last to miss by slightly less than three lengths. That was a better performance than in his starts in preceding months, which came at shorter distances.

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Juventus has won three times at seven furlongs and may appreciate the slightly longer trip at Kempsey.

The Kempsey Cup drew a field of 11 and is part of an eight-race program that begins at 10:15 p.m. Eastern or 7:15 p.m Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Juventus drew post 10, which should not be an issue for his stalking style. The gelding’s main opponent is Hit the Target, who has had erratic form.

Hit the Target, trained by Stephen Jones, won a seven-furlong handicap from the front at Newcastle on Sept. 17, but faded to finish ninth of 12 in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie Racecourse on Oct. 9.

Hit the Target drew the inside post and should be prominent from the start under jockey Matthew McGuren.

The distance should fit Mikado, who gets a slight drop in class following a sixth of 12, beaten only 2 3/4 lengths, in a seven-furlong handicap at Eagle Farm on Oct. 15. A closer, Mikado has won 5 of 23 starts with the wins ranging in distances from seven furlongs to a mile.

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